By Terrence Thomas :
April 27, 2013
: Updated: April 27, 2013 11:00pm

Brennan's Autymn Scales clears the final hurdle en route to winning the 300-meter hurdles in the Region IV-4A track meet at Heroes Stadium.

Photo By Kin Man Hui/Express-News

Clemens' Shawn Santiago reacts after missing a spot for the state meet in the 4A 4x200 meter relay at the Region IV Track and Field meet at Heroes Stadium on Saturday, Apr. 27, 2013.

Photo By Kin Man Hui/Express-News

Despite an untied right shoe, Medina Valley's Steven Champlin pulls to a first place finish in the 4A 400 meter dash at the Region IV Track and Field meet at Heroes Stadium on Saturday, Apr. 27, 2013.

Photo By Kin Man Hui/Express-News

Clemens' Kerrigan Bishop reacts after finishing first for her team in the 4A 4x200 meter relay at the Region IV Track and Field meet at Heroes Stadium on Saturday, Apr. 27, 2013.

Photo By Kin Man Hui/Express-News

Highlands' Jonathan Jefferson (center) takes first in the 4A 110 meter hurdles at the Region IV Track and Field meet at Heroes Stadium on Saturday, Apr. 27, 2013.

Photo By Kin Man Hui/Express-News

Medina Valley's Steven Champlin (center) sprints to first in the 4A 100 meter dash at the Region IV Track and Field meet at Heroes Stadium on Saturday, Apr. 27, 2013.

Photo By Kin Man Hui/Express-News

Alamo Heights' Paul Hernandez reacts after his second-place finish earns him a spot at the state meet in the 4A 300 meter hurdles at the Region IV Track and Field meet at Heroes Stadium on Saturday, Apr. 27, 2013.

For two straight years, Highlands' Jonathan Jefferson was the odd man out. He was the person who was so close yet so far from reaching his goal.

The senior hurdler was third in the 110-meter hurdles each of the previous two years — one spot from earning a trip to the Class 4A state track and field meet in Austin — and had one final season to grab that elusive berth to state.

And if it meant working out every day, Jefferson wasn't going to be deterred. His perseverance paid off Saturday at Heroes Stadium as he won the 110 hurdles in a Region IV-4A meet-record 14.20 seconds and lifted the Owls to the team title.

With Vernon Lott finishing second in the 100 and Adrian Reyna placing third in the 300 hurdles, Highlands garnered 58 points. Corpus Christi Flour Bluff was second (53), Cedar Park as third (47), Brackenridge fourth 946) and Brennan fifth (40).

Leander Rouse won the girls team title by winning the final two events (1,600 meters and 1,600 relay), edging Clemens 78-73. The Buffaloes, bolstered by strong efforts in all three relays, would have won the meet had they finished ahead of Rouse in the 1,600 relay but were second.

Cedar Park was third (47), defending champion Austin LBJ was fourth (40) and Brennan and Gregory-Portland tied for fifth (30).

“I just wanted it bad,” Jefferson said of his first trip to state. “I love doing hurdles — it's my passion.”

While Jefferson will make his first trip to state, Brennan sophomore Autymn Scales is headed back after winning the 100 and 300 hurdles for the second year in a row.

“This year it's a lot more focus, a lot more pushing (myself) at practices,” Scales said. “(It's) just determination to get back and get a medal this time.”

Medina Valley's Steven Champlin also won two events, living up to the pre-meet expectations by winning the 400 in a meet-record 47.81 and the 100.

“As soon as I came out here and stepped on the track, I let all of that go,” Champlin said. “I've still got to compete. I've still got to do what I have to do to make sure that everyone knows I can handle that pressure. It's good to come out here and do what everybody expected me to.”